The present invention relates generally to heads for optical recording media, and more particularly to flying heads for disk drives having solid immersion lenses.
Optical data storage systems are of great commercial and academic interest because of their potential for very high data density. Unlike magnetic recording where data density may be limited by particle size, the density of optical recording may be limited by the diffraction limit of the illuminating light. In practice, the data density is in part also limited by how small illuminating radiation such as a laser beam can be focussed to on the disk.
To reduce the laser spot diameter, several methods can be employed. Higher frequency light may help matters because it has a smaller wavelength. Alternatively, increasing the numerical aperture of the lens may also help to decrease spot size.
An object of the invention is to provide an optical recording system in which a solid immersion lens (SIL) is used for optimum data densities. Another object of the present invention is to provide a flying head with an integral objective lens, solid immersion lens, and slider system so that the flying head may be maintained in focus, thus eliminating the need for a separate active focussing mechanism.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combination particularly pointed out in the claims.